Combined flashlight and signal light device



March 5, 1963 G. E. RAYNOR COMBINED FLASHLIGf-IT AND SIGNAL LIGHT DEVICEFiled May 31, 1961 I8 37 29 25 29 F5 25 2s INVEN TOR GILBERT E. RAYNORiinite btates 3,080,553 CGMBINED FLASHLIGHT AND SEGNAL LEGHT DEVICEGilbert E. Raynor, 19309 Parlrwood Drive, Kensington, Md. Filed May 31,1961, Ser. No. 113,767 4 Claims. (Cl. 349-366) The present inventionrelates to a flashlight device which is particularly suitable for use indirecting automobile traffic with a plurality of different coloredsignal lights.

An object of the invention is to provide a combined flashlight andsignal light device by means of which a plurality of concentrated beamsof light, each of a distinctive color, are projected in a predetermineddirection so that only light rays of one color are visible.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved flashlightdevice having a signaling head of light conducting transparent materialformed with multi-colored light projecting elements for transmittinglightv of selected colors when the device is arranged in a plurality ofpredetermined positions.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved flashlightdevice having a signaling head of light conducting transparent materialformed with a plurality of superposed light projecting sections arrangedalternately with dilerent colored light reflecting surfaces.

In the accompanying drawing: v

FIG. 1 is a side elevation partly in vertical section takensubstantially on the plane of line 1-1 of FIG. 2, of a flashlight deviceconstructed according to the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the upper portion of the structure shownin FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 3 to 6 inclusive illustrate schematically the man ner in whichlight rays are transmitted when theflashlight device is arranged indifferent positions.

Referring to the drawing, the improved flashlight device may comprise atubular barrel 11, constituting a handle adapted to be closed at one endby means of a detachable cap 12, having screw threaded connection withsaid barrel in well known manner.

The end of the barrel 11 opposite to the end having the cap 12 is formedwith screw threads 13 for the threaded neck portion 14 of a signal head15.

The signal head 15 comprises a body of suitable light conductingtransparent material, said body having sides 16, a front 17, a top 18, abottom 19, and a rear in the form of a vertical section 20 arrangedsubstantially parallel to the front 17 and an inclined section 21 whichextends from the section 20* upwardly to the top 18. The constructionand arrangement of the parts of the head is such that the neck portion14 extends downwardly a suitable distance from the bottom 19.

Each side 16 of the signal head 15 is provided with a lens 22 which ismounted in a suitable recess 23 formed in the body of the head in themanner indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 2. Preferably each lens 22should be of a red color to provide a bulls-eye at each side of the head15 arranged to project a light beam of a red color for signalingpurposes.

The front 17 of the signal head 15 is formed with a plurality ofelongated slots or recesses 2-5 which extend horizontally across thefront, the ends of said recesses being closed in the manner shown inFIG. 2. The recesses 25' are vertically spaced apart substantially atuniform distances to provide a plurality of webs or louvers 2e on thefront 17, said louvers being arranged from the top 18 to the bottom 19.

The slots or recesses 25 are formed a suitable depth in the body of thehead 15 so as to provide a series of cavities, each of which has endwalls 28, a top Wall 29, a bottom wall 30, and an inner or rear wallformed of a pair of sections arranged at an obtuse angle with respect toeach other to provide inclined diffuser surfaces 31.

Mounted within the threaded end portion 13 of the barrel 11, is a lightbulb 33 having its lower end in electrical contact with an end of a drycell flashlight battery 34. It will be understood that any number ofcells 34 may be contained within the barrel 11.

The light bulb 33 is mounted in the socket of a plate 35 which has a rim36 arranged to be clamped between the upper end of the barrel 11 and thehead 15, so that the light bulb 33 will be disposed within a recess 38formed in the lower portion of the body of the head 15. In this way thelight bulb will be disposed substantially centrally within the head 15,to effect an even distribution of light toward the louvers 26.

Mounted on the barrel 11 is a switch 40 of the usual construction forflashlights to control illumination of the light bulb 33 with electriccurrent supplied by the battery cell 34.

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention the topwall 29 of each recess or cavity 25 is colored, as indicated by layer37, to transmit green light rays, and the bottom wall 30 of each recessor cavity 25 is colored, as indicated by layer 39, to transmit red lightrays, the dilfu-ser surfaces 31 being clear to transmit clear lightrays. Also, as an alternative, if so desired, when the surfaces of thewalls 29 and the surfaces of the bottom Walls 30 of the recesses 25 arearranged to be illuminated by internally conducted light, these saidsurfaces may be provided with colored plastic material, and the diffusersurfaces 31 may be colored a third color, such as yellow for the purposeof producing the usual well known amber caution light rays, therebyenabling three different colors of light rays to be discharged from thedevice.

When the surfaces 29 and 30 are colored with reflective fluorescentpaint or tape, said surfaces will be illuminated by light directedtoward them from the uncolored diifuser surfaces 31. This constructionpermits the signal light to be used also as a flashlight, utilizing theuncolored light rays from the diffuser surfaces 31, without affectingthe use as a signal device.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the construc tion andarrangement of the parts is such as to make it possibie for a light beamof only one color to be visible when the device is tilted to apredetermined position toward the viewer, and a light beam of anothercolor to be visible when the device is tilted to a predeterminedposition away from the viewer. As an alternative, a light beam of athird color, such as amber, will be made visible when the front face ofthe signal head 15 is arranged perpendicularly to the viewers line ofvision when the diffuser surfaces 31 are colored yellow in the mannerheretofore described.

FIGS. 3 to 6 inclusive illustrate the use of a pair of the devices by aperson, such as a police ofiicer directing traffic, with the device ofFIGS, 3 and 5 held by his right hand, and the device of FIGS. 4 and 6held by his left hand. The light beam indicated by the group of arrows41 in each view of the drawing may be of a red color emanating from thesurface 3% and the light beam indicated by the group of arrows 42 may beof a green color emanating from the surfaces 29 of the signal head 15.

To signal trafiic to stop, the police oficer points the signal head 15toward the traffic in the tilted manner shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in whichposition of the de vices it will be noted that the red light beams 41emanating from said signal heads are arranged to project light rays in asubstantially horizontal direction. With the devices. in such tiltedpositions, the green light beams 42 will be pointed in a downwarddirection out of the vision of the viewers of the red signal light rays.To signal traffic to proceed, the police officer moves the devices fromthe positions shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, to the positions shownrespectively in FIGS. and 6, wherein the light beams 41 project the redlight rays in an upward or vertical direction, and the green li ht raysof the beams 2 will be directed in a substantially horizontal pathtoward the line of vision of the trafiic heretofore signalled to stop bythe red light rays,

Selective control of individual automobiles can be effected by pointingone signal light toward those to be stopped with the device in theposition shown in FIGS. 3-and 4, and beckoning with another device inthe position to display a green light to those cleared to proceed.

Due to the manner in which the red lenses 22 are arranged on the signalhead 15, these elements constantly display red signal lights for thepurpose of providing a safety warning of the police officers presence,and also for the purpose of facilitating the control of cross trafiic atintersections. When traffic proceeds in one direction, the; crosstraffic is kept stopped by signals from the red light lenses 22. To thenchange the flow of trafiic, the police ofiicer arranges the devices inthe positions illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 to present red signal lightsto stop. The police ofiicer then shifts his position about an angle ofapproximately ninety degrees, thereby presenting, the red light lenses22 to the traffic just stopped, and arranges the. signal heads in thetilted position to present green light rays of the beam 42 toward thetraffic now cleared to proceed, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. Thesignal heads 15 are maintained in such tilted positions until it isdesired to change the flow of trafiic by rearranging the relativepositions of the signal heads 15 in they manner previously described.

It will be understood that in order to enhance the distribution of lightrays emanating from the signal head 15, the exposed edges of the louvers26 may be opaque. Another important featureis the alternate colorarrangement of the reflecting surfaces of the louvers 26, by which theupper surfaces of the louvers have one color and the lower surfaces ofthe louvers have another color. Thus, the louvers are constructed on thefront of the signal head 15 so that the light rays emanating from theupper surfaces of the louvers are concentrated in a single beam of onecolor, while the light rays emanating from the lower surfaces of thelouvers are concentrated in a single beam of another color. In thismanner a plurality of concentrated beams of light, each of a distinctivecolor, will be projected in predetermined directions so that only lightrays of one color are visible to a viewer positioned in front of thelight in the manner heretofore described.

While the invention has been described in detail and shown with respectto the accompanying drawing, it is not to be limited to such details,since many changes and modifications may be made in the inventionwithout departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Hence, it isdesired to cover any and all forms andmodifications of the inventionwhich may come within the language and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A signal light device comprising a tubular handle, a dry cell batterymounted within said handle, a signal head of light conducting material,means for mounting said signal head on one end of said handle, a lightbulb within said signal head, means connecting said light bulb with saiddry cell battery for illuminating said signal head, a series of cavitiesformed in said signal head, said cavities being separated by webs on thefront of said signal head to provide light reflecting surfaces at thetop and at the bottom within said cavities for transmitting light raysfrom the front of said signal head, means on the top surfaces of said.webs for transmitting reflected light rays of one color, means on thebottom surfaces of said webs for transmitting reflected light rays of acontrasting color to the color of the light rays transmitted by said topsur-- faces, said cavities extending into the body of the signal head apredetermined distance from the front thereof, and a wall at the innerend of said cavities inclined with respect to the front of said signalhead to provide light diffuser surfaces for directing light conductedfrom the light bulb with said signal head onto the colored surfaces ofsaid webs.

2. A traffic signal light device comprising a tubular handle having anupper screw threaded portion, a dry cell battery mounted within saidhandle, a signal head of light conducting transparent material, saidsignal head having sides, a front, a top, a rear, a bottom having ascrew threaded neck for threaded engagement with the upper screwthreaded portion of said handle, a light bulb within said signal head,means connecting said light bulb with said dry cell battery forilluminating said signal head, a series of elongated cavities formedhorizontally in the front of said signal head, said cavities beingclosed at. the inner ends thereof and being separated by louversvertically spaced apart substantially at uniform distances on the frontof said signal head to provide light reflecting surfaces at the top andat the bottom within said cavities for transmitting light rays from thefront of said signal head, color meanson the top surfaces of saidlouvers for transmittingrefiected light rays of one color, color meanson the bottom surfaces of said louvers for transmitting reflected light.rays of a contrasting color to the color of the lightv rays transmittedby said top surfaces, light diffuser surfaces at the inner ends. of saidcavities for directing light conducted from the light bulb within saidsignal head onto the colored surfaces of said louvers, and a coloredlens mounted on each side of said signal head rearwardly with respect tosaid. cavities for distributing light from said signal head in adirection substantially at right angles with respect to the lightemanating from the front of said. signal head.

3'. A signal light device comprising a tubular handle having an upperscrew threaded portion, a dry cell battery mounted with said handle, asignal head of light conducting material, said signal head having a bodyformed of sides, a front, and a bottom having a screw threaded neck forthreaded engagement with the upper screw threaded portion of saidhandle, a recess formed in the bottom of, the body of said signal head,a light bulb mounted within said signal head recess, means connectingsaid light bulb with said dry cellbattery for illuminating said signalhead, a series of cavities formed horizontally in the front of saidsignal head, said cavities being separated by louvers vertically spacedapart to provide light reflecting surfaces at the top and at the bottomwithin said cavities for transmitting light rays from the front of saidsignal head, color means on the top surfaces of said louvers fortransmitting reflected light rays of one color, color means on thebottom surfaces of said louvers for transmitting light rays of a colorcontrasting to the color of the light rays transmitted by said topsurfaces, light diffuser surfaces formed at the inner ends of saidcavities for directing light conducted from said light bulb within saidsignal head onto the colored surfaces of said louvers, and a coloredlens mounted on each side of said signal head for distributing lightfrom said signal head in a. direction substantially at right angles withrespect to the light emanating from the front of said signal head.

4. A signal device combined with a flashlight, comprising a tubularhandle having a screw threaded end, a dry cell battery mounted withinsaid handle, a signal head of light conducting transparent material,said signal head having a front, and, a bottom having screw threadedengagement with the screw threaded end of said handle, a recess formedin the bottom of the signal head, a single light bulb mounted withinsaid signal head recess, means connecting said light bulb with said drycell battery for illuminating said signal head, a series of elongatedcavities formed horizontally in the front of said signal head, webs onthe front of said signal head separating said cavities to provide lightreflecting surfaces at the top and at the bottom with said cavities fortransmitting light rays from the front of said signal head, means on thetop surfaces of said webs for transmitting reflected light rays of onecolor, means on the bottom surfaces of said webs for transmittingreflected light rays of a second color, light diffuser surfaces formedwithin said signal head at the inner ends of said cavities for directinglight conducted from the light bulb within said signal head onto the topand bottom surfaces of said webs, and means on the light diffusersurfaces at the inner ends of said cavities for transmitting light raysof a 5 third color from said single light bulb.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS ThomasNov. 18, 1931 2,567,046 Anderson Sept. 4, 1951

1. A SIGNAL LIGHT DEVICE COMPRISING A TUBULAR HANDLE, A DRY CELL BATTERYMOUNTED WITHIN SAID HANDLE, A SIGNAL HEAD OF LIGHT CONDUCTING MATERIAL,MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID SIGNAL HEAD ON ONE END OF SAID HANDLE, A LIGHTBULB WITHIN SAID SIGNAL HEAD, MEANS CONNECTING SAID LIGHT BULB WITH SAIDDRY CELL BATTERY FOR ILLUMINATING SAID SIGNAL HEAD, A SERIES OF CAVITIESFORMED IN SAID SIGNAL HEAD, SAID CAVITIES BEING SEPARATED BY WEBS ON THEFRONT OF SAID SIGNAL HEAD TO PROVIDE LIGHT REFLECTING SURFACES AT THETOP AND AT THE BOTTOM WITHIN SAID CAVITIES FOR TRANSMITTING LIGHT RAYSFROM THE FRONT OF SAID SIGNAL HEAD, MEANS ON THE TOP SURFACES OF SAIDWEBS FOR TRANSMITTING REFLECTED LIGHT RAYS OF ONE COLOR, MEANS ON THEBOTTOM SURFACES OF SAID WEBS FOR TRANSMITTING REFLECTED LIGHT RAYS OF ACONTRASTING COLOR TO THE COLOR OF THE LIGHT RAYS TRANSMITTED BY SAID TOPSURFACES, SAID CAVITIES EXTENDING INTO THE BODY OF THE SIGNAL HEAD APREDETERMINED DISTANCE FROM THE FRONT THEREOF, AND A WALL AT THE INNEREND OF SAID CAVITIES INCLINED WITH RESPECT TO THE FRONT OF SAID SIGNALHEAD TO PROVIDE LIGHT DIFFUSER SURFACES FOR DIRECTING LIGHT CONDUCTEDFROM THE LIGHT BULB WITH SAID SIGNAL HEAD ONTO THE COLORED SURFACES OFSAID WEBS.